CCTV - looking after your safety

The council's CCTV system was first introduced in the late 1990s and now covers various parts of Thanet, including the area's town centres.

It's manned 24 hours a day by operators, who look out for any incidents, and work closely with the police to help solve crimes. Find out more about a day in the life of one of our CCTV operators.

An effective CCTV system like the one operated by Thanet District Council gives residents peace of mind and reassurance that there are people looking out for them and their property. Here we explain more about how the system works and aim to answer your questions about it.

Frequently asked questions about CCTV

• How do you decide where to put CCTV cameras?
• Are the cameras still in the right place?
• How many crimes do CCTV cameras help to detect?
• What sort of crimes does CCTV help to solve?
• Are the cameras monitored 24 hours a day?
• How much use are the cameras?
• We've got problems in our area and there are no CCTV cameras there - is there anything you can do?
• We’ve read the article in the paper - why are there so many cameras for the car parks, compared to the town centres?
• Why do some parts of Thanet not have any CCTV cameras?
• Do the cameras provide good value for money?
• How much detail can be seen on the CCTV cameras - Everyone has watched Road Wars and the like - a lot of the time it just looks like a person but it could be anyone!
• How long is the film kept for?
• If I am a victim of a crime - can I ask for footage or how do I get it?
• What happens if a camera breaks down or is vandalised - how much does it cost to fix and how long does it take?
• How does CCTV affect my right to privacy?

Community Safety Unit 

E-mail: community.safety@thanet.gov.uk

Tel: 01843 577888